CHICAGO — Chicago’s 2024 climate was marked by extremes, with 63 tornadoes recorded throughout the Nationwide Climate Service Chicago forecast space and 23.6 inches of snowfall—properly under the historic common of 36.9 inches since 1885, in response to Nationwide Climate Service meteorologist Jake Petr.
These dramatic shifts replicate the impression of local weather change on town’s climate patterns, consultants say. A gentle La Niña impact that started in November is anticipated to carry continued unpredictability to Chicago’s winter within the coming yr. Right here’s a seasonal recap of this chaotic yr.
Winter’s Cut up Persona
The yr started with a dramatic show of winter’s fury, as January temperatures plunged to 12 under zero, with wind chills making it really feel like -35 levels – chilly sufficient to briefly make Chicago chillier than Alaska. The intense chilly sparked an unlikely social media pattern, with residents collaborating in a TikTok problem by freezing their pants strong within the frigid air.
However winter additionally twisted with surprises. February made historical past because the warmest on report, with temperatures climbing above 40 levels almost on daily basis. The month peaked with a outstanding 72-degree studying on Feb. 26, marking the primary 70-degree February day since 2017 and the fifth warmest meteorological winter in Chicago.
A Report-Breaking Spring of Celestial Wonders
Spring 2024 earned its place as Chicago’s fourth warmest on report, with every month bringing its personal outstanding occasions. March temperatures ran 4-6 levels above regular with notably moist circumstances, whereas April ranked because the fifth-warmest since O’Hare’s information started in 1959. The month’s frequent thunderstorms have been briefly forgotten on April 8, when Chicagoans gathered to witness a uncommon photo voltaic eclipse.
Might capped off the nice and cozy spring with a spectacular present of the northern lights on Might 12, drawing crowds to the lakefront to witness the uncommon phenomenon normally seen solely on the far north of the globe.
Summer time of Storms and Data
Summer time 2024 proved to be one for the historical past books. June shattered a 137-year-old report when temperatures soared to 97 levels on June 17. July introduced unprecedented extreme climate as Hurricane Beryl’s remnants swept by way of town, adopted by a record-breaking outbreak of 27 tornadoes in a single day. The Chicago forecast space recorded 63 tornadoes all year long, with six touching down inside metropolis limits on July 14 and 15 alone, in response to Petr from the Nationwide Climate Service.
August wasn’t to be outdone, delivering the yr’s hottest day on the twenty seventh when temperatures hit 98 levels, feeling like 114 with humidity. The summer season completed notably hotter than common, with below-normal precipitation.
A Fall That Wouldn’t Fall
September continued the yr’s heat pattern, turning into the second-hottest September since information started in 1871. Town baked beneath intense warmth and barely any rain, with streets and buildings making temperatures even hotter. The drought was so unhealthy that Chicago started to odor – the shortage of rain left a noticeable stench throughout town, displaying simply how a lot city environments can worsen the consequences of sizzling, dry climate.
October temperatures lingered within the 70s and even reached 82 levels earlier than lastly dipping into the 40s for Halloween, giving trick-or-treaters a correctly chilly night. The month supplied celestial compensation with views of the yr’s brightest supermoon and weeks-long viewing alternative for Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS.
12 months’s Finish
November marked the beginning of winter with a mixture of gentle and chilly climate. This winter’s first snow arrived on Nov. 21, although it remained one of many warmest Novembers on report. December continued this pattern, swinging from subzero wind chills to 50-degree days. Sadly, Chicago ended the yr and not using a white Christmas, as an alternative enduring a wet and foggy vacation week.
A 12 months of Extremes and Wonders
2024 showcased the dramatic results of local weather change, with record-breaking temperatures, extreme storms and fluctuating climate patterns. Nevertheless, it additionally gave Chicagoans moments of surprise, from uncommon northern lights to dazzling supermoons and comets that received’t return for many years.
The yr’s excessive climate patterns align with broader local weather traits, and the Nationwide Climate Service’s 2025 outlooks counsel Illinois could face above-average precipitation within the coming seasons.
As Chicago strikes ahead, 2024 will probably be remembered not only for its meteorological challenges however for the moments when residents got here collectively to witness nature’s most extraordinary shows – a reminder that even in a altering local weather, our metropolis can nonetheless discover moments of surprise.
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